If you are looking for a new job this year, it's likely that your New Year's Resolutions this year involved your job search. Making plans for the future and taking steps to create the success you have been looking for isn't as hard as you think. The key is to break down your goal into smaller goals that can give you clearly defined tasks that need to be accomplished. This way, you can turn your goal for success into an easy to follow road map.
Here are 4 of the best Resolutions for job seekers:
- Never miss a chance to network – Growing your network should be something you have already been working on. It is no secret that your social network, both professional and personal can be a treasure trove of job leads, expert advice and recommendations to companies you want to work for. Make it your goal to search out new ways to build connection with people already in your network and to connect with new people as well.
- Set up informational interviews – If you haven't been getting very far in your job search and feel like you are losing motivation, consider scheduling some informational interviews. These are interviews you set up with people who are currently working in your industry or with companies you are interested in working with. The goal of the interview is to find out more about what they do, how they got the job and what the company is like. These interviews are great networking opportunities, give you a chance to find out more about a particular job or company, keep you up-to-date on industry trends and they are great interview practice.
- Develop your personal brand – Polishing (or creating, if you haven't already) your personal brand will help you present a clearer, more precise package to a potential employer. Spend some time writing down your strengths and experience until you have it down to a few key words that describe who you are. Use these words to create a short pitch that you can use online, on your resume and anywhere else that you post. You should incorporate your brand into everything you do.
- Ask for help – Admitting that you need help can be hard, but no one can help you unless they are aware of your needs. So, ask people in your network if they know of anyone who is hiring, or ask your former boss (if you are on good terms with him) to give you a reference. If you aren't getting anywhere in your job search and you think that you may be depressed and not able to devote much energy to it, look for someone to talk to about it. Many areas offer free mental health clinic where you can find a counselor or someone to be a short term life coach.
When you set small goals and work on them to the best of your ability, they can give you some direction and help you find more enthusiasm in your job search. Sometimes the whole process can be overwhelming and you can feel like you are just shooting in the dark. But, by working on the small parts, you'll be able to accomplish the big goal faster.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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